The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Chasing Spring Cavaliers

History of the Cavalier

Rose, a Blenheim spaniel born around 1847 illustrates the typical appearance of Toy spaniels during the middle of the 19th Century. Specimen and image from the collections of the Natural History Museum, London and the Walter Rothschild Zoological Museum. Source: History of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
C. Rusbridge et al., 2015

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is descended from the King Charles spaniel, as well as other toy Spaniels seen in many 16th-century paintings. The breed started when breeders wanted to reproduce a dog that resembles those seen in these paintings. The paintings of these Spaniels were seen during the time of England’s Charles II.

The Spaniels that had shown these features most were sought after and their owners were offered money for the dogs. The breeders wanted to try to match the looks from the paintings as closely as possible.

In the 1940’s these spaniel dogs were classified as a separate breed and were given the name “Cavalier” to differentiate them from other spaniels.

Cavalier Appearance

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is known as a small spaniel that has big round eyes. The Cavalier is a beautiful dog with a slightly wavy silky coat that comes in many colors including ruby, tan and black, Blenheim, and tri-color. The tail on the Cavalier is sometimes docked (though, we do not) and the muzzle is conical. The breed is known to be quite stunning and is seen as very regal.

The Four Flavors of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (shown above):

1. Reba – Ruby
2. Walter – Tri-color
3. Olive – Black and Tan
4. Patti – Blenheim

Cavalier King Charles Temperament

The Cavalier is an affectionate and eager little dog. They are known to be very lively and outgoing. The Cavalier is seen as being fearless and living to please. They are intelligent and therefore are usually easy to train and respond well to gentle obedience training. They are known to be well-behaved and get along well with other dogs and household pets.

Cavaliers need to be well-socialized from a very early age and need lots of attention. The Cavalier should not be left alone for hours. They come from a line of hunting dogs and therefore they love to hunt and chase. They can play for hours and be happy. They are great dogs for little children and adults alike. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a perfect companion dog. It has a great sense of smell and vision and can be used in hunts in open country. This breed will also do well in competitive obedience. More questions? Check out our FAQ page!